News

ABC Budget Consultation

3 January 2017 0 Comments

Ashford Borough Council Logo2017-18 Budget consultation

Ashford Borough Council

Opens: 23 December 2016
Closes: 8 February 2017

Ashford Borough Council (ABC) have published their 2017-18 Budget consultation summary document and are inviting comments on their draft budget.

ABC has announced the consultation on 12 December 2016, ahead of publication of the summary document on 23 December, by saying that it  is likely to still set the lowest council tax in Kent following the approval of its draft budget for 2017-18 by Cabinet members on 11 December.

Residents, businesses and parishes will now be given the opportunity to comment on the draft budget. It will also be considered in detail by the council’s overview and scrutiny committee’s budget task group, as the report makes its way through the democratic process before being considered again by cabinet and council in February 2017. (more…)

Ashford Borough Council, Consultation, Finance, News

Co-op Recall 165,000 Chocolate Santa’s

23 December 2016 0 Comments

Chocolate SantaCo-op Recall 165,000 Chocolate Santa’s after batteries were found in two

The Co-op has launched an urgent national product recall after batteries were found inside two of its chocolate santas.

The Co-op sold the German-manufactured santas, which are available from other retailers, and has advised consumers not to eat them.

The santas with batteries were found in two separate locations, one in Suffolk and one in Essex.

A Co-op spokesman said: ‘The health and safety of our customers is our top priority.

‘We are concerned about two separate instances of alleged product tampering involving our hollow milk chocolate Santa foil figures, which have been found to contain a small battery inside.

As a result we have begun a UK-wide product recall. The police and Food Standards Agency are being notified.

‘Customers with one of these products should not eat it but call our customer relations team for a full refund.’
Anyone who is concerned should call Freephone 0800 0686 727.

[This story is emerging in the media. We would advise breaking open any chocolates with similar wrapping purchased from other retailers before giving them to children (or eating them).]

Recall Database 23 December 2016
http://recalldatabase.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Co-op%20Recall%20165

News, Safety

Health services during Christmas

21 December 2016 0 Comments

Remember that health services will be very busy over Christmas and the New Year. Choosing the right care will save you time and reduce pressure on the health services.

Use the Health Help Now app to  find the right service in Kent for your health needs, especially when you need medical help fast but it is not a life-threatening emergency.

Install it or bookmark the web version now so that it is available when you need it.

Self care

Self treat minor injuries and illnesses

NHS Choices advice on colds and flu
www.nhs.uk/livewell/coldsandflu/Pages/Coldcomfort.aspx
and other self treatment
www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Pharmacy/Pages/home-remedies-for-common-conditions.aspx

Local Pharmacy

If you are unsure about a minor injury or illness see your local pharmacist.

Local pharmacies can offer a wealth of health support and should be the first port of call for common illnesses such as coughs and colds over the festive period.

Pharmacies can provide much more than just a prescription. They can advise on minor ailments and how to use medications effectively and safely.

Pharmacists are highly trained health professionals, who are qualified to offer health advice and guidance, particularly on common problems such as headache, coughs and colds, tummy bugs, verrucas and worms.

They will advise you on buying over-the-counter medicine and give advice on prescribed medication. Many pharmacies are open for longer hours than GP surgeries, and you don’t need an appointment.

If a pharmacist can’t help you, they will be able to direct you to the right place, whether that is your GP, practice nurse, or a minor injuries unit. Many pharmacies now have consulting rooms where people can discuss their problems with the pharmacist in private.

NHS 111 service

Use the NHS 111 service if you urgently need medical help or advice but it’s not a life-threatening situation.

Call 111 if:

  • you need medical help fast but it’s not a 999 emergency
  • you think you need to go to A&E or need another NHS urgent care service
  • you don’t know who to call or you don’t have a GP to call
  • you need health information or reassurance about what to do next

If a health professional has given you a specific phone number to call when you are concerned about your condition, continue to use that number.

Your GP

Contact your GP for for more serious or persistent illnesses

Minor Injuries Unit

Minor injuries units can treat:

  • sprains and strains
  • broken bones
  • wound infections
  • minor burns and scalds
  • minor head injuries
  • insect and animal bites
  • minor eye injuries
  • injuries to the back, shoulder and chest

A & E

Visit Accident and Emergency for genuine life-threatening emergencies, such as:

Call 999

Call 999 and ask for an ambulance in a medical emergency – when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk.

Medical emergencies can include:

Call 999 immediately if you or someone else is having a heart attack or stroke. Every second counts with these conditions. Also call 999 if you think someone has had a major trauma. Major trauma is often the result of a serious road traffic accident, a stabbing, a shooting, a fall from height, or a serious head injury.

Health Service hours

Date Pharmacy GP Surgeries Minor Injuries Unit
Asda Musgrove Park
Medical Centre		 South Ashford
Medics		 Kingnorth
Medical Practice
Sat 24 Dec 7am – 11pm Closed Closed Closed
Sun 25 Dec Closed Closed Closed Closed
Mon 26 Dec 9am – 6pm Closed Closed Closed
Tue 27 Dec 9am – 6pm Closed Closed Closed
Wed 28 Dec 7am – 11pm 8am – 6.30pm 8.00am – 6.30pm 8.00am – 6.30 pm
Thu 29 Dec 7am – 11pm 8am – 6.30pm 8.00am – 8.00pm* 8.00am – 6.30 pm
Fri 30 Dec 7am – 11pm 8am – 6.30pm 8.00am – 6.30pm 8.00am – 6.30 pm
Sat 31 Dec 7am – 11pm Closed Closed Closed
Sun 1 Jan 10am – 4pm Closed Closed Closed
Mon 2 Jan 10am – 6pm Closed Closed Closed

* Please note that this is a GP service only after 6.30pm for booked appointments only

GP services will continue to be very busy and waiting times will be longer during the first weeks of the new year.

  • The Dementia Helpline is open throughout the festive period, 24 hour a day, on 0800 500 3014.
  • Hopeline (08000 684141) is open from 2pm to 5pm on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day otherwise normal hours are 10am-10pm weekdays, 2pm-10pm weekends.
  • Kent Mental Health Matters (08001 070160) is open all hours and the
  • Samaritans are also open throughout the period on 08457 909090.

Health, News

Christmas can be stressful

21 December 2016 0 Comments

Ashford Clinical Commissioning GroupNHS Ashford Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) is asking local people to be mindful of the extra pressure that Christmas and the New Year can bring.

Dr Navin Kumta, CCG chair, said: “Despite the popular myth, the winter holiday season can be demanding and stressful for many people.

“If someone has existing worries, Christmas and the New Year can exacerbate the situation. There may be family pressures, unrealistic expectations and money worries – but the urge to make sure everyone is happy and having a good time adds to the strain.”

For people already coping with serious problems in their lives, the festive season may make them feel significantly worse.

Of course, it’s not just Christmas that can cause stress. People with money or work worries, relationship worries or those who care for someone with a long-term health condition can also be at higher risk of anxiety and depression.

That’s why the CCG is reminding people that support is available. (more…)

Health, News, Wellbeing

Got a minor injury? Wait less!

19 December 2016 2 Comments

The NHS in east Kent have launched a new app to help you find the best care if you have a minor injury. Don’t head straight to A&E! Download the WaitLess app and see if you can get faster treatment at a minor injuries unit.

WaitLess is a smartphone app that has been designed to help you to get the right treatment – fast.

WaitLess uses real-time updates and geo-location technology, to give you current waiting times at all of our A&E and minor injuries units in east Kent – drawn from the official NHS system.

This information is combined with up-to-the-minute travel time information, giving a ranking of the best places to aim for if you have a minor injury. (more…)

Emergency, Health, News

Farrow Court wins design award

16 December 2016 0 Comments

The Farrow Court, the sheltered housing complex recently rebuilt for Ashford Borough Council (ABC), has been named Best Major Residential Project in the Kent Design and Development Awards.

With the emphasis very much on quality of life, the new Farrow Court is built to Lifetime Homes and the council’s space standards and will also feature a new day-care centre, communal facilities, a hairdressers and a restaurant that can be used by all of the local community.

The £15.4m rebuild work will make Farrow Court the flag bearer for the Borough’s future provision for older people. The project is seen as essential by ABC as by 2026 it is anticipated that 40% of Ashford’s population will be aged over 50.

The new accommodation will offer a total of 104 high-quality living spaces; including eight recuperative care units for people released from hospital who need additional respite care before they can return to their homes, and 12 units for people with learning disabilities. (more…)

Ashford Borough Council, Housing, News, Planning and Development

Prepare your vehicle for bad weather

15 December 2016 0 Comments

Snow CarIn this this fourth post on preparing for winter we have information from Brake on winter driving.

Be prepared

Even if you avoid setting off in dangerous weather conditions, you could get caught out, so be prepared by:

  • ensuring your vehicle is well-maintained through an up-to-date MOT, regular service, and regular walk-round checks by you.
  • regularly checking tyres to ensure they’re in good condition and have a tread depth of at least 3mm to be safe in the wet.
  • making sure there is anti-freeze in your radiator and windscreen washer bottle.
  • keeping an ice-scraper and de-icer in your vehicle at all times in winter.
  • packing a winter driving kit in case of emergency. This might include: a torch; cloths; a blanket and warm clothes; food and drink; first-aid kit; spade; warning triangle; and high-visibility vest.
  • always take a well-charged phone in case of emergencies, but don’t be tempted to use it when driving.

Car batteries are more likely to die in winter, so take steps to ensure yours doesn’t. If your car battery is old (more than five years) or there is sign of it struggling to start the car, get it checked by your garage and replaced if needed.

Clear ice, snow and condensation completely from your windscreen and all windows before setting off. Clear snow off the roof of your vehicle too, as it might fall and obscure your vision during your journey.

Check forecasts and plan your route carefully. In bad weather, major roads are more likely to be cleared and gritted. Allow plenty of time for potential hold-ups. The Met Office provides up to date forecasts, and issues warnings when severe weather is likely. (more…)

News, Safety, Transport

Inquiry into supported housing funding reform launched

15 December 2016 0 Comments

HousesJoint inquiry into the Government’s funding reform for supported housing.

Commons Select Committee for Work and Pensions and
Commons Select Committee for Communities and Local Government

Opens: 15 December 2016
Closes: 3 February 2017

The Work and Pensions Committee and the Communities and Local Government Committee launch a joint inquiry into the Government’s funding reform for supported housing.

Scope of the inquiry

The inquiry examines the planned changes for 2019–20, when core rent and service charges for supported housing will be funded through Housing Benefit or Universal Credit up to the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rate. For costs above this, funding will go to local authorities for disbursement locally.

The Committee considers whether the new system will ensure that the varied rate of the LHA cap will not adversely affect tenants and providers in low-value parts of the country. It examines how existing tenants will be protected following the switch and ask whether the changes should be piloted.

The inquiry also looks at the effect that uncertainty about the new model is having on the sector and explores whether separate funding models are needed for refuges and other short-term supported housing services, or sheltered housing services for the elderly, which would require a higher cap.

How the localised funding pots would work, including how the money will be ring-fenced and which factors should be used to determine an areas allocation, are also investigated by the Committees. (more…)

Consultation, Government, Housing, News

Prepare for flooding

14 December 2016 0 Comments

In the third of our posts on preparing for winter we bring information from the Environment Agency on preparing for flooding.

Make a flood plan

Plan how you’ll respond to a flood. Use a template to make a:

Protect your property

You can:

You may need permission to do work that will affect the flow of a river or divert flood water. (more…)

Emergency, Home, News, Safety

Fake Bank Letters

14 December 2016 0 Comments

Action FraudLloyds customers should be on the lookout for a new sophisticated fraud that involves fraudsters sending fake bank letters. 

The convincing letters being sent are a replica template from Lloyds and include their logo, address and signature from a customer service representative.

The letter tells recipients that there have been some “unusual transactions” on their personal account and asks them to call a number highlighted in bold to confirm they are genuine.

When victims call the number, an automated welcome message is played and the caller is asked to enter their card number, account number and sort code followed by their date of birth.Victims are then instructed to enter the first and last digit of their security number.
The fraud was spotted by the Daily Telegraph who was alerted to it by a reader who had three identical letters sent to an office address. On separate occasions the Daily Telegraph ran some tests using fake details and were passed to fraudsters who claimed to be from a Lloyds contact centre. The bank has confirmed that the phone number and letters are fake.

The letters are essentially a sophisticated phishing attempt and serves as a warning to consumers to question written correspondence from their banks.

If you are ever suspicious about correspondence from your bank you should call the customer serviced number on the back of their card.

To report a fraud and cyber crime, call us on 0300 123 2040 or visit http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/report_fraud

Action Fraud 9 December 2016
www.actionfraud.police.uk/news/sophisticated-fraud-involving-convincing-bank-letters-dec16

It is likely that similar fraud will be attempted other bank’s details.

  1. Never disclose security details, such as your PIN or full banking password
  2. Don’t assume an email, text, letter or phone call is authentic
  3. Don’t be rushed – a genuine organisation won’t mind waiting
  4. Listen to your instincts – you know if something doesn’t feel right
  5. Stay in control – don’t panic and make a decision you’ll regret

#TakeFive

Crime, Finance, News